TIRIS based kernal for protection of "copyrighted" program material

Abstract

The invention consists of attaching or embedding a "TIRIS" transponder (or other RF or IR or barcode or other identifying device) physically into the center of the proposed DVD disk. Within the memory of the transponder, both a predetermined address and a code word are preprogrammed into the transponder at the manufacturing level of the media product. The media player not only comprises functionality to play the disk, but also comprises the functionality to transmit an interrogation signal to the transponder, and then to receive the transponder response signal. Therefore, once a disk is input to a media player, the interrogation portion of the media player transmits an interrogation signal to the transponder located on the disk. Thus once empowered with the interrogation signal, the transponder accesses the predetermined address and the code word from it's memory. Then the transponder transmits both the address and the code word to the interrogator, located within the media player, and the player accesses the particular address location on the disk. The media player only plays if there is a match between the read data-word and received code word. The comparison can occur within the interrogation portion of the media player or within the media player itself.

I claim: 
     
       1. A method of insuring only copyrighted material is playable or usable in any digital media system comprising the steps of: integrating a radio-frequency interrogator with a media player for transmitting an interrogation signal to a transponder and for receiving a transponder response signal in response;   attaching a transponder to a predetermined media element wherein said transponder transmits a transponder response signal comprising a codeword and a predetermined address associated with said predetermined media element to said interrogator in response to said interrogation signal;   receiving a transponder response signal and providing said predetermined address to said media player;   reading said dataword at said predetermined address;   comparing said dataword and said codeword and authorizing the play or use of said media element upon a match of said dataword and said codeword.   
     
     
       2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said codeword and said predetermined address are programmed into the transponder memory at the manufacturing level. 
     
     
       3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said codeword and said predetermined address are programmed into the transponder at the customer level. 
     
     
       4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said at least one of said codeword and said predetermined address are encrypted by the transponder. 
     
     
       5. The method according to claim 2, wherein said comparing of said codeword and said dataword is performed within the same integrated circuit. 
     
     
       6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said comparing is accomplished through a look table. 
     
     
       7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said comparing is done directly. 
     
     
       8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said comparing is performed through an algorithm.